7871

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7871
• Author: Snyder, D. E.
• Title: Preserved Larval and Small-Fish Collections of the Upper Colorado River Basin
• USFW Year: 1996.
• USFW - Doc Type: Maintenance and Cataloging of a Valuable Historical Database - Final Report.
• Copyright Material: NO

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respectively) with special teflon-lined lids. Most older material in containers larger than
vials has been or will be transferred to these standard-size containers. To maximize use of
very limited space, vials are stored in 1 DO-vial trays on shelves close to but separate from
shelves used for larger containers. Currently, the larger containers are ordered loosely on
shelves without retention bars; in the future we hope to first organize them in sturdy trays
or bins. Such trays or bins should prevent the jars from accidentally being knocked off
shelves and facilitate access to containers stored towards the back of the shelf. Containers
larger than 16 oz are avoided, but when required, they are stored on still another set of
shelves to accommodate their greater height. In some cases it has been necessary to bottle
individual lots in more than one container (e.g, two vials instead of a 2-oz jar). The
number and size of containers for each lot are recorded with collection type (V, S, or R) in
the storage field of the primary record and in the lower left comer of the label; information
in this field is used to determine on which shelves lots are stored. Container labels also
have been standardized (Figure 2). They are printed on 28# Byron-Weston Resistall paper
with a laser printer and cut to about 33 x 51 mm to accommodate our smallest containers
(20-ml vials).

LFL 2725 Catostomidae: 14 LFL 13153 Cyprinidae: 15 LFL 22334 Cyprinidae: 15

Xyrauchen texanus Gila cypluJ ? Ptychocheilus lucius

N = 2, 36.6-39.3 mmTL Oev Int: IV N = I, 16.4-16.4 mmTL N = 7, 9.0-]0.0 mmTL Oev Int: LR
100% ethanol Id: Kevin Bestgenl9l 3% buffered formalin Id: LFUI985 100% ethanol Id: LFUI99S
UDWR-G91NSlOO4B 30-JUL-l 99 1 FWS/GJ-85L-079 26-JUL-1985 CDOW-94DR-L035 12-JUL-1994
North America, USA. Utah, Grand Co. . North America, USA, Utah, Grand Co. North America, USA, Colorado, Mesa Co.
Green RIver RIver Km: 89.5 Colorado River River Km: 181.4 Colorado River River Km' 247 S
Shoreline LOMA . .

Gear: seine Gear: Fine mesh seine Gear: Larva1 fISh drift net Col: CL
V:2-viaJs Larval Fish Laboratory, Colo. St. Univ. V: I-vial Larva1 Fish Laboratory, Colo. St. Univ. V: I-vial Larva1 Fish Laboratory, Colo. St. Univ.

FIGURE 2.-Larval Fish Laboratory collection labels.

The settled level of specimens in storage containers is generally limited to no more
than 75% of container height. Because of interstitial space among specimens, this ensures a
volumetric ratio of at least twice as much preservative as specimens in each container.
Preservative is denoted in the primary record and on the label for each lot. Most
collections maintained by LFL are stored in 3% phosphate-buffered formalin, but many,
especially from more recent investigations, are preserved in 95-100% ethanol for potential
otolith analysis of age or confirmation of identity by PCR-DNA techniques. Most
specimens that have been cleared and stained for skeletal examination are maintained in
100% glycerol. Collection containers are checked once a year for evaporative losses of
preservative.
As our holdings of UCRB collections have grown, we have filled all existing
shelving allocated for their storage and care. All cataloged and most uncataloged VCRB
collections are currently stored on specially constructed rows of wooden shelving that are
aligned perpendicular to the east wall of our laboratory (Wagar Building, room 33). The
shelving was custom-designed and built by LFL for this purpose in spring 1987 with funds
provided by the Colorado Division of Wildlife on behalf of the RIP. The shelving units are

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